Brauns Law - July 2020

404-418-8244 July 2020 WWW.BRAUNSLAW.COM

3175 SATELLITE BOULEVARD, SUITE 330, DULUTH, GEORGIA 30096

Barbecue and Gunpowder How Americans Celebrate Freedom

In my family, the Fourth of July is all about the grill and salads with

mayonnaise in them. (Fact: Mayonnaise is the greatest condiment in the world, IMHO. Yes, I am a mayonnaisehead. And in case you were wondering, I prefer Helman’s.) We spend the day grilling up hot dogs and hamburgers and serving them with big helpings of potato salad and coleslaw. Then dusk descends and out come the fireworks. I love celebrating the Fourth of July in Georgia. I grew up outside of Baltimore in Maryland, where all the cool fireworks are illegal. There, fireworks meant sparklers and the little black snake discs that left the huge stains on your concrete. If you wanted the good stuff, you’d have to drive across state lines to Virginia to get it. When I moved to Georgia as an adult and saw folks shooting off fireworks that went 100 feet in the air and exploded into all different colors, my life was forever changed. My daughter’s childhood Fourth of July celebrations are a bit cooler than mine were. When my daughter was young, one of our neighbors took the Fourth of July very seriously. I don’t know how much he spent on fireworks, but when that shipment arrived, it was delivered in a hazmat truck by someone who was licensed to handle explosives. The whole neighborhood gathered around to watch this guy light off the fireworks. It was like a professional fireworks show just for us.

Through the pandemic, we saw American’s stubborn independence and how we wanted to do things our way, right or wrong. That’s what makes us the greatest country in the world. We all agree that the freedoms we cherish are the most important thing. They’re freedoms all people should have and they are worth fighting for. This is why our country is so different from other places in the world. When we celebrate these freedoms, we do so together. Food and fireworks aside, the Fourth of July is really about seeing friends and family outside in the summer air. We gather with the people we care about with the smell of barbecue in the afternoon and the smell of gunpowder in the evening. That’s what freedom is. Who doesn’t want to live in the United States? -David Brauns

I’ve always loved celebrating the Fourth of July. As a kid, I thought it was the coolest holiday ever. It was a holiday dedicated to barbecues, swimming pools, and fireworks, which checked all the boxes for a young boy. As an adult, I’ve come to recognize that it’s really about celebrating our independence. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more apparent just how much Americans value their freedom compared to those in other countries. “I’ve always loved celebrating the Fourth of July. As a kid, I thought it was the coolest holiday ever.”

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DIYs From Across the Entertainment Sphere FIND YOUR FAMILY’S NEXT CRAFTING PROJECT

Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or brand- new to crafting, there are lots of ways to get your kids creating. For example, why buy merchandise from their favorite video game or TV show if they can make it themselves? Check out these resources for free crafting ideas to keep your kids connected to their favorite characters when they’re not looking at a screen. DISNEY-THEMED CRAFTS From “Star Wars” to all things Mickey Mouse, entire fictional universes can come to life inside your home and make your family time feel a little more magical. Family.Disney.com offers projects for every difficulty level. Many require glue guns and adult supervision, but that’s what makes them fun and interactive for both you and your children. Who knows, you might just find inspiration for other decorations in your home after a few Disney-inspired crafting sessions. NICKELODEON-THEMED CRAFTS Whether it’s “Blue’s Clues,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” or “SpongeBob SquarePants,” there’s no doubt that your little one is familiar with some of Nickelodeon’s most iconic children’s shows. NickelodeonParents.com offers DIY crafts

that’ll encourage your kids to get busy and creative while decorating their play areas and beyond. The site also filters crafts by categories like Big Kids, Educational, and Noggin, so you even have options if you want your child to learn something while they play. GEEKY CRAFTS If your kids are huge gamers, GeekCrafts.com is a great website for finding DIYs that they can get invested in. Not everything is designed for small kids, but there’s a large archive to choose from, and it’s not difficult at all to recognize what crafts will be best for your family. From Minecraft-themed building blocks to Pokemon felt hats, you’ll find lots of fun projects that’ll get your kids excited and asking, “What’s the next step?” We hope these free resources help you and your family spend a little more creative time together! Have fun!

Testimonials DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

“I hired David and his staff for my accident case. They were amazing from start to finish, even setting up my first chiropractor visit inside my area. They called me several times to keep track of how I was feeling. They made sure that I received to best care possible for me. And here’s one last thing to brag about: The package they sent me out for choosing them on the case was absolutely incredible; it had a T-shirt, hat, etc. Once again, thank y’all very much for providing exceptional service!” –Tonderrick “The staff at Brauns Law helped me get through a very trying time following my accident. They followed up with me after appointments and called to see how I was doing. I appreciate David Brauns and his staff’s work on my behalf.” –Brenda

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Help Your Dog Overcome Its Fear of Fireworks While the fireworks shows on the Fourth of July are lots of fun for humans, they can be pretty scary for dogs. The loud, unpredictable explosions of fireworks often Bang! Crash! Boom!

trigger a dog’s fight-or-flight response. Many dogs run away while fireworks are going off. Even dogs who are kept inside can have negative reactions to the sound of fireworks, including destroying property or hurting themselves. It’s not just fireworks that can frighten our canine companions. Thunderstorms are another common trigger for dogs with noise phobia. If your dog suffers from noise phobia, then there are some things you can do to help. First, talk to your veterinarian about getting your dog on anxiety medication. There are supplements that can help dogs remain relaxed and calm in situations that would usually stress them out. While these supplements can be beneficial to dogs who experience regular anxiety, they aren’t very helpful for dealing with unexpected

It’s possible to desensitize your dog to the noises through controlled exposure and positive reinforcement. You can also train your dog to follow a routine when fireworks or thunderstorms begin. Having routines in place for dealing with loud noises, such as going to a safe place or working through a series of commands, can give your dog something else to focus on instead of its fear. Training can also help dog owners feel more relaxed, as they no longer have to worry about how their dog will react to loud noises. If you’re not sure where to find a good trainer or how to help your dog overcome its noise phobia, then talk to your veterinarian. They’ll be able to offer resources to help you and your dog deal with noise phobia and be more relaxed and happy together.

stimuli. For example, if your dog gets upset during thunderstorms and an unexpected storm rolls in, then it’s too late to give them medication. Once dogs are wound up, there’s no medication in the world that will help them safely calm down again.

The best way to help your dog overcome its fear of loud noises is through training.

WORD SEARCH

BREAKFAST SAUSAGE KEBABS

Bacon may be a paleo favorite for breakfast, but this hearty sausage meal can be enjoyed any time of day and is the perfect way to mix things up!

Directions 1. Cut sausages in half. Thread alternating sausages halves, Ingredients • 7 oz frozen, fully cooked breakfast sausage links, thawed • 20 oz pineapple chunks, drained • 10 medium-sized, fresh mushrooms

• 2 tbsp butter, melted • Maple syrup, to taste

EQUIPMENT • 5 metal or soaked wooden kebab skewers

CAESAR FIREWORKS GRILLING INDEPENDENCE

LARKSPUR PEACHES PICNIC POPSICLES

RUBY SPARKLER SUNGLASSES SWIMMING

2. Grill over medium heat,

regularly turning and basting with syrup, until sausages are lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

pineapple chunks, and mushrooms onto kebab skewers. Brush with butter and syrup.

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Inspired by TasteOfHome.com

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404-418-8244 | WWW.BRAUNSLAW.COM 3175 SATELLITE BOULEVARD, SUITE 330 DULUTH, GEORGIA 30096

Page 1

How Do You Celebrate the Fourth of July?

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Find Your Family’s Next Crafting Project

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What Some of Our Clients Are Saying

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The Best Way to Help Noise-Phobic Dogs

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Breakfast Sausage Kebabs

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The Wacky Evolution of the Knock-Knock Joke

Knock Knock! Who’s There? The Wacky Evolution of the Knock-Knock Joke

it likely wasn’t intended to be funny), or it could be a reference to 1936 vice presidential hopeful Frank Knox, whose name made “knock knock” irresistible wordplay for the radio. Whatever the reason, knock knocks were all the rage in the 1930s, to the extent that people formed knock-knock clubs, businesses held knock-knock contests, and orchestras set them to music. However, the heyday was short- lived. In the following years, people started getting sick of knock knocks,

another kind of joke: the “Do You Know” joke. This style of joke was popular in the early 1900s, and according to an Oakland Tribune article NPR dug up, this was a typical one:

KNOCK KNOCK!

Who’s there?

Theresa.

Theresa who?

Theresa crowd!

“Do you know Arthur?” “Arthur who?” “Arthurmometer!” Not very funny, is it? Well, over the years this style of back-and-forth jesting evolved into knock-knock jokes. The popularity of the “knock knock” bit of the joke could harken back to Shakespeare, who BestLife credits with “the first-known occurrence of a knock knock, who’s- there dialogue” in Act 2 of “Macbeth” (though

Unless you’re living under a rock, odds are you’ve laughed, grumbled, or groaned in response to a knock-knock joke. You may have even told a few yourself before you realized knock-knock jokes had gone out of style in favor of sarcasm and memes. That’s because at their core, knock-knock jokes are a quintessential American experience — and the perfect homegrown fodder for International Joke Day, which falls on July 1. But where did they come from, and why do so many people knock the knock-knock joke today? Well, according to NPR, knock-knock jokes have had a roller coaster of a history. Near as we can tell, they actually evolved from

and even psychologists turned against them. According to NPR, “people who loved knock-knock jokes were said to have social problems.” Today, knock-knock jokes are still around, but they’re mostly considered a game for kids or demoted to the realm of “bad dad jokes.” Maybe you think that’s warranted, maybe you think it’s tragic — either way, odds are the format will continue to evolve and probably outlive us all!

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